An Automated Storage and Retrieval System or ASRS is a computer-controlled system or device that operates to automatically perform tasks or functions at defined storage areas, typically in warehouses, such as high-volume warehouses, that may be part of a supply chain or package delivery system. For example, an ASRS may be used in warehouses or locations where there is a high volume of packages, products, or loads being moved into and/or out of the location, or in which storage density and space is an important concern.
As part of the ASRS, a lift module or retrieval module may be used in order to access various pods or units stored in the warehouse or other location. The lift module may be a computer-controlled or manually-operated device that can access a number of different pods or products that may be disposed or stored in different locations, such as, but not limited to, on a shelving unit. In many cases, the lift module is used to simply retrieve and store products or pods on the shelving unit in the warehouse. In this manner, the lift module often includes a pair of forks, similar to the forks of a forklift, that correspondingly engage or fit into receiving channels of a pod stored on the shelving unit.
However, it is contemplated that an ASRS system can be used to operate or control certain aspects of vertical farming or other more complicated systems that may require more than just storing and retrieving pods from a shelving unit. Particularly, vertical or indoor farming is referred to as the practice of producing food or growing plants in a vertically stacked manner, such as, by stacking or placing plants on shelves often within large structures or areas including, but not limited to buildings, warehouses, shipping containers, etc. Advantageously, when a vertical (or other) farming system is incorporated or constructed indoors, many of the environment factors (such as sunlight, temperature, gases, humidity, fluid, water, etc.) can be controlled. This is often referred to as controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
However, it should be noted that maintaining plants in a large-scale vertical farming system can be quite challenging. As an example, manual access to the plants for regular check-ups, pruning, harvesting, watering, or even re-planting, can be difficult. This is especially true for areas that are extremely large scale, such as in sky scrapers, for example, and in vertical or indoor farming systems that may have a large number of plants per area (e.g., high density farming).
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus that can be incorporated into an ASRS which can support or interconnect with one or more robots or other operations devices. The robot or operations device could be used to perform various tasks or functions at the pod locations, including, but in no way limited to monitoring the plant(s), harvesting the plant(s), watering the plant(s), checking on the plant(s), etc.
The operations device and proposed apparatus may also be used on other environments or other Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (e.g., other than vertical farming or indoor farming) that may require various functions or tasks to be performed at the pod locations.